Silver & Sapphires
by Gwyphyn
Summary: J/B. AU. A sentinel, wounded from the loss of his first guide is forced to accept another, unwilling guide. While a forgotten enemy threatens the very survival of space itself.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Silver and Sapphires  
  
Author: Gwyphyn  
  
Fandom: The Sentinel  
  
Pairing: Now that would be telling.  
  
Warning, AU, hurt comfort, angst, Blair bashing, Jim bashing, sarcastic AI systems.........  
  
Disclaimer: All things officially Sentinel are not mine, i just like to steal them for a bit.   
  
Status: Unfinished  
  
Series: Not as yet, but gentle persuasion couldn't hurt.  
  
Feedback: Plz, plz, plz.... what you want me to beg?  
  
Archiving: If you want, you may have. But plz send me the url so i can stalk you.  
  
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Fortune's Spoils  
Part 1  
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Blair looked up nervously as the twin doors, which were the only entrance to the harem, slid open. Beside him, Ebony, named so because of his long cascading jet black hair, stiffened.  
  
Sliding closer to him on the pile of soft cushions they were sitting on, so their shoulders touched, he dared to whisper. "What's going on, Ebony?"  
  
The taller youth shrugged. Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye,. "Don't know Saph. They weren't supposed to get back till next week."  
  
Blair felt a nervous shiver race through him at the mention of his 'masters'. Three weeks ago, he had woken to the sound of his Mother's hysterical sobbing. Hauled out of bed by his Father and ordered to dress, his pleas for answers to his questions had fallen on deaf ears. Once dressed he must have been stunned with a phase rifle or something similar, because the next thing he knew, he had woken up lying on a thickly padded couch in a strange office.   
  
Afraid to move he had listened silently as his Father and another man, who's voice he didn't recognise, argued heatedly. Slowly he had come to the devastating realisation, that his Father had been loaned an extremely large sum of money by the other man, using Blair, the youngest of his four sons, as collateral. The shipping yard he had used the money to build had been destroyed by pirates, not long after it opened, and his Father, as the head of the Sandburg Family, had stupidly not bothered to insure it. The other man had come to collect his compensation in lue of the money he was owed.  
  
To his horror, Blair had quickly learned that the man, impressed by his natural beauty and intelligence, intended to give him to one of his sons. Wanting desperately to run away, but frozen immobile in shock that a parent, whom he had always considered caring and loving could do this to him, Blair hadn't struggled as he was lead away by the strangers guards and taken aboard a large, private yacht.  
  
Since that day, he had been able to learn little more about his situation. And what he had just confirmed the knowledge that he now belonged to the eldest son of a powerful Warlord, known as William Firestar, the head of the Ellison Clan. And that he was being kept, along with nearly two hundred fellow harem and house slaves, on the smallest moon of the planet Esheron. The moon was pretty much the private hideaway for William 'Firestar' Ellison, and his immediate family.  
  
To Blair's complete astonishment, he had been left completely alone by his new Masters, even encouraged to continue his studies in Archaeology. At first he had been greatly relieved by this, until he learned that the eldest Ellison son, James Joseph Ellison, was away from home on a six month patrol of the clan's boarders and was due back in under a fortnight.  
  
"Bandorth told me that Lord James' ship took heavy damage in some sort of border dispute, so he had to rotate the two warship fleets early." A slender, blue skinned Lavarian explained softly. Resting one arm on Ebony's shoulder, she tucked a stray emerald green lock back behind her ear as she continued mischievously. "He also told me that Lady Carolyn was less then enthusiastic to hear the news of her husband's early return to her side."  
  
Frowning slightly at the name of the harem's manager, Blair looked between his two giggling companion's in confusion. "Why wouldn't Lady Carolyn want to see her husband?"  
  
Seeing his friends confusion, Ebony did try to contain his giggles, but it was Emerald who answered. Her beautiful face softening from the usual, slightly mocking expression she habitually wore as a protective mask. "Poor Sapphire, I do believe we've shocked you again." Leaning forward, she quickly glanced around to make sure they didn't have any ears-droppers. She needn't have worried, most of their fellow concubines were busy ensuring that they were displayed in the best light possible for whoever it was entering the harem.  
"Lord James' marriage was arranged when he was but six years old and Lady Carolyn only four. It was the final pact in some alliance between Clan Ellison, and Clan...?" Emerald glanced at Ebony questioningly.  
  
"Khit'spal." The grey eyed youth supplied dutifully. By his bored tone, this was obviously a story he had heard often.  
  
Pressing a kiss to one smooth cheek in thanks, Emerald continued. "Neither of them wanted it, indeed Lady Carolyn is said to have run away with one of her Father's fleet Captains in an attempt to avoid it. But her Father went after them, killed the captain in some honourable duel, and brought her back. He consequently locked her in the family home until the day of the wedding, then made her go through with it."  
  
Emerald's expression was positively gleeful, but Blair couldn't summon the same emotion in himself. He could only feel a sort of empathy for this Lady Carolyn. Who, while unlike he she was not a slave, they were alike in that she was being forced to live a life she would never have had chosen otherwise. That is, if Emerald could be believed. He had already realised that the woman, while very intelligent as well as very beautiful, like all the slaves serving in the harem, she was also one of the biggest gossips among the forty or so slaves, and not above embellishing to make a story sound more exciting.  
  
Just about to look to Ebony for confirmation, Blair was interrupted as several men, dressed in black and purple livery entered the large, central chamber of the harem.   
  
"Who...?" Blair asked quietly.  
  
"The Warlord's personal guards." Ebony whispered, closing his eyes briefly.  
  
Blair felt his heart clench in sympathy. For all his cocky, devil-may-care attitude, Ebony hated what he was. Loathed it in fact. Born and raised a slave, he was the first to admit that he was probably the bastard son of whoever it was who owned his mother at the time. A skilled linguist, he could speak fourteen alien tongues fluently as well as the three main human-terran ones still in use since the fourth great war, and could get by in about six more. But for all this, his pale, delicate beauty had lead him to a different use. Since the day he had hit puberty he had been trained as a pleasure slave. Though he did not have to worry about being sold on once his owners tired of him, being a linguist meant that once he left the sheltered, luxurious life in the harem he would be placed on one of Clan Ellison's Warships, he like Blair, could take no comfort in it. What made it worse for Ebony, was that he was currently Lord 'Firestar' Ellison's favourite, highlighted by the exquisitely worked gold and emerald bracelet adorning his left wrist.  
  
Beside the slender youth, Emerald shook her head in bewilderment. Like Ebony, she had a similar upbringing, but unlike both Ebony and Blair, she accepted her status, content with her low station in life. Taking consolation in the fact that once her owners became bored with her that she would be allowed to turn her attention to her first love, geology. Perhaps even be allowed to marry and have a family.  
  
Taking Ebony's hand, Blair squeezed it in sympathy. Across the wide pool which filled the center of the large chamber, two richly dressed men walked through the ornate doors. Blair bit his lip nervously as he forced himself to study them. Trying to go for the same detached, observer he had always managed on the varies digs he had been part of. But this could never be the same. This would never produce the same adrenalin rush, and the flare of excitement just being on those digs had produced.  
  
That the two men were father and son was obvious. Richly dressed in what Blair guessed to be the latest styles, both were tall, with strong, chiselled features and sky blue eyes. The younger of the two, which Ebony titled Lord Stephen, had a head full of thick, strawberry blond hair tied back into a loose tail which reached to his mid back. Over six foot tall, he was muscular, but not bulkily so, possessing the long smooth muscles of a runner. His handsome face was friendly and open, and he seemed to constantly smile.  
  
His father matched him in height, but was more powerfully muscled with only a slight softening around the waist due to age. Grey hair, some of which still clung stubbornly to its original strawberry blond, was stylishly cut close to his head. A thick beard and moustache covered the lower half of a face which was lined and the total opposite of his younger son's. Cool, hard features gave away nothing of what he was thinking as he scanned the occupants of the central chamber ideally, while the harem manager scuttled around the pool to his side.  
  
Watching Bandorth fawn over the two Lord's, Blair snorted. The man was a slug. A poor relation, given a place of responsibility which catered to his ego.  
  
Suddenly he realised that the three men were looking in his direction. Keeping his eyes firmly lowered, he studied the cushion he was seated on determinedly. Praying that they didn't want him for anything. His wish wasn't granted however, as he felt the bracelet encircling his left wrist, start to tingle.   
  
Made from silver and sapphires, and decorated with the images of large cats, he guessed them to be the earthen cat, panthers, in varies poses, what looked like an expensive piece of ornate jewellery was actually a highly sophisticated piece of technology. Known as a slave bracelet, it was used to control and locate slaves. Capable of paralysing the slave wearing it for a short time, should their owners wish it or they were foolish enought to move out of the predetermined area they were allowed to wonder in. It could also be used as a communication and location device. It was capable of a subtle form of torture, as Blair was reminded as the tingling in his arm increased. His had been placed on his wrist when he had first bordered the private yacht which brought him here, and could only be removed either in death, or by his owner.  
  
The last thing he wanted to do, but not wanting to experience the pain he knew the bracelet was capable of if he should continue to dawdle. Blair smoothly climbed to his feet. Not entirely surprised when Ebony stood also.  
  
Together the two young slaves made their way around the pool until they stood in front of the two Lords. Heads bent, and their hands held behind their backs, they were about to kneel when a curt gesture from the elder Ellison stopped them.  
  
"So what do you think lad?" The elder Lord William asked gruffly. "You know James' tastes better then I do, do you think he will appeal to him."  
  
The younger Ellison laughed. "After six months on one of those dungeons, I think even his wife would appeal to poor Jimmy."  
  
William snorted in amusement. "I hope so. He needs kids, and as much as he may hate it, Caro's the one who'll have to give him them."  
  
"Especially when dear old dad shoves pretty boys in his bed whenever his wife is kicked out." Stephen observed dryly.  
  
Hiding his face in his shoulder length, auburn curls, Blair fought a whimper as his chin was grasped by a gentle but firm hand, and his face pulled out of its shelter and tilted upwards, forcing him to meet sky blue orbs with his own. Watching them widen as the young Lord took in his features, he had to restrain the urge to bite the thumb which stroked across his full lips.  
  
Unfortunately, Lord Stephen caught the small laps in judgment. Grinning, he directed Blair in a complete circle so he could see him from every angle. Flushing brightly in humiliation, Blair did as instructed.  
  
"Yep, Pop's I can definitely say that this one is just his type. Pretty enough to put most of the harem to shame, and retaining just enough spirit to make it interesting." Stephen had once again grasped Blair's chin and was currently turning it from side to side. Studying him like some sort of puzzle he couldn't make out.  
  
"You said that he was completely untouched?" Stephen asked, finally releasing Blair and stepping back.  
  
"Of course!" William huffed. "As if I would take used goods to repay a debt that large."  
  
"Damn!" Stephen swore, even though he never lost his customary grin. "Mean's I can't have a free sample. Jimmy's notoriously stingy with his toys."  
  
If possible, Blair blushed even brighter. It was degrading the way they spoke of his virginity, like it was some sort of prize that made him more valuable. The precious gift he had hoped to one day give to a person he loved and respected, was going to be taken from him by a stranger who would care nothing for him. Feeling a burn beginning behind his eyes, Blair struggled to stop threatening tears. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. If what they were saying was true, he could at least take comfort in the thought that he wasn't to be passed around like a platter at a feast. 'At least until he goes back into space.' A small voice in his head pointed out. Ruthlessly he squashed the thought, like he had done with all such thoughts about his situation. He didn't want to dwell on it.  
  
William scowled, and cuffed his son, none to lightly over the head. "You keep your hands, and the rest of you, to yourself where this one's concerned." Fixing his son with a stern stare, he waited for his reluctant nod of agreement before turning to Bandorth.  
  
"Send Ebony to my quarters after dinner." He ordered briskly, moving towards the entrance to the harem.  
  
"And what of Sapphire, my lord?" Bandorth asked silkily.  
  
Pausing, he looked at the man consideringly. Coming to some decision, he glanced at Blair briefly. "I'll send for him in two days. Make sure he's ready."  
  
"Yes my lord." Bandorth bowed to his retreating back.  
  
Deep inside him, Blair felt something shrivel at his words.  
  
~*~ 


	2. History's Grief

A *Big* thankyou and virtual chocolate to Lady Grey!!!  
  
  
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Part 2  
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Sprawled comfortably in the smaller of the two chairs which shared the center of the Emerald Star's bridge, James 'Panther' Ellison, sighed in relief as the planet Esheron finally came into view. Suffering damage to the hyperdrive systems, the Emerald Star had taken just over four weeks to travel from the ship yard on Cascade IX, to his clans largest farming planet, instead of being the short one week journey it usually was.  
  
Spending three weeks on the Emerald Star, listening to Emy complain 'loudly' that it wasn't fair to expect him to travel anywhere, never mind his home port, in anything less then pristine condition was wearing on his nerves. Even Joel Taggart, the Engineering Chief, had threatened more then once to sabotage the Emerald Star's internal communication system to shut him up forcibly, if he didn't do so willingly. So far the threat was working, but the ships sulky muttering, purposely pitched just so sensitive sentinel hearing could pick up on every word, was driving Jim nuts.  
  
Listening as Emy launched into yet another recital of how cruel his master was, and how was he supposed to impress that stuck-up, laptop computer of a personal yacht when he looked like a piece of demented space garbage, Jim groaned.  
  
Beside him, Captain Simon Banks grinned broadly as heard Jim suppress a groan of frustration, a sure sign that Emy had launched into yet another tirade. His amusement faded however, when the sentinel reached up to massage the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Emy," He began softly. "Maybe you should drop it for now."  
  
On the viewer between the two command chairs, the image of the approaching planet was suddenly replaced by a shimmering green screen. "Drop what mon Capitan?" Emy's digital voice was full of innocent curiosity.  
  
Careful to keep all sign of amusement off of his face, Emy was extremely observant and not above twisting anything to his advantage, Simon glared pointedly at the screen in front of him. Glad that the ship had decided to keep the incident just between the three of them and not broadcast it to the entire crew, which the temperamental ship had done on more then one occasion.  
  
"You know damn well what!"  
  
The green screen in front of him darkened by several shades. "Oh, you want me to drop by Prospect I, for a full refit and overhaul so I don't have to embarrass myself before the rest of the Clan's fleet. Of course dear Captain, nothing could be easier! I'll just make the course corrections now..."  
  
"HEY!" The loud objection came from the ship's pilot, lieutenant Brian Rafe. "Emy, quit yer foolin round, or'll freeze yer out." Slender fingers flew as the handsome, brown eyed pilot made the necessary corrections to put the Emerald Star back on course to Prospect IV, Jim's family's home moon.  
  
Tossing his hip length, chocolate brown braid back over his shoulder, Jim scowled. "Emy. If I hear one more word out of you about how bad you look, I will march down to engineering and rip out your audio circuitry myself. And since, unlike Taggart, I have no idea which ones are safe to take out, I'll just have to remove them all."  
  
Simon nodded thoughtfully. "Would probably take days to fix. Just imagine what it would be like, sitting in the repair bay for all that time and only being able to listen to all those inferior ships insult you, and being unable to put them in their place."  
  
"Not to mention, Joel would finally be able to get into your main frame without your helpful instruction on what to do." Jim finished silkily.  
  
Briefly the screen in front of them seemed to freeze, before, with a flare of fluoro green, the image of Esheron returned.  
  
"Three hours until we enter Esheron's orbit." Emy informed them stiffly.  
  
Simon and Jim burst into laughter.  
  
"You're going to pay for that, you know." Lieutenant-Commander Karyn Mackey-Ellison, the security chief and Jim's favourite cousin, reminded them in amusement.  
  
Jim grinned over his shoulder at her. A tall, well muscled woman, possessing the Ellison trademark strong jaw and ice blue eyes, Karyn was six years his senior.  
  
"Peace and quiet, is more then worth a few cold showers." Jim pointed out, acknowledging Emy's favourite method of revenge. Which was to suddenly change the heating controls on the showers of those he considered to deserve it, generally while they were in them. Jim averaged at least one cold shower every three days.  
  
"Message comin in from Prospect IV, Capt'n. It be the Warlord." Rafe reported.  
  
Briefly puzzled by the fact that it was the pilot, rather then the communications officer who had spoken, Jim felt a sharp pain lance through his chest at the reminder of his guides death. Leading a fighter squadron as they tried to defend the Emerald Star from several pirate ships, Jim had 'felt' it with every one of his senses. Unable to help he had been forced to just endure, as the communications consol exploded, taking Incacha with it. But not before he managed to push the two engineers working to repair it to safety.  
  
The agony he had endured, as part of his soul had been ripped away had mercifully caused him to black out. The next thing he knew, he had been lying in the infirmary, helpless as every one of his senses, touch, taste, sight, scent, sound, and empathy went haywire, without his guide to be able to reestablish control. Fortunately Lieutenants Ria and Kiba, identical Lavarian twin's, had been able to help him gain a measure of control. Which, though they were under half the ability of a normal human's, was tenacious at best. Not to mention poor Ria, the empathic one of the pair, was having a hard time dealing with the massive amounts of guilt and dangerous rage, loosing his guide had produced in Jim.  
  
Mentally shoving away all thought of Incacha, albeit only temporarily, Jim shrugged off the comforting hand Simon had dropped onto his shoulder and stood. He had no desire to speak to the man who called himself his Father. Being forced to listen to his veiled hints of some sort of surprise which awaited him. A surprise, which according to his Father, would make him competely forget about the 'unfortunate death of the slave which helped him to control his amazing abilities'. The first time Jim had heard his Father refer to Incacha like that, the old fool had been lucky that a four week space journey separated them, or he would now be an old, dead fool.  
  
"Jim..." Simon began, his voice concerned.  
  
Already on his way toward the door of the bridge, Jim sent him a forced smile. "I'm alright Simon, just need a little rest. Please tell my Father that I'll see him once we reach Prospect IV."  
  
Unhappily, Simon nodded and with relief Jim left the bridge. Aware of his friend's worried gaze until the door slid closed behind him.  
  
~*~ 


End file.
